Coursera, an online open course provider, offers numerous learning opportunities on a global scale | Courtesy of college.library/Creative Commons
Economics professor Rebecca Stein has been appointed Executive Director of the Online Learning Initiative.
Stein has experience with online learning through her partnership with Coursera, a site that provides online access to courses offered by top universities around the world. Currently the Director of the Microeconomics Principles Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, she will begin her term as director of the initiative on June 1, 2017.
In an email from the Office of the Provost, Penn administrators highlighted Stein’s work developing popular courses on the Coursera, such as "Microeconomics: The Power of Markets" and "Microeconomics: When Markets Fail."
Stein has won multiple awards for her efforts at Penn, including the Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence by Non-Standing Faculty and the School of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by Affiliated Faculty, according to the email.
Vice Provost for Education Beth Winkelstein said in the email that Stein will be “working closely with the Online Learning Faculty Council, the dynamic staff of the Online Learning Initiative, and the outstanding faculty members across campus who are leading our engagement with online learning.”
The Online Learning Initiative launched in 2012 when Penn was one of the first universities to partner with Coursera. Penn currently offers over “more than 80 courses on Coursera – with 22 million learners around the world in disciplines that encompass all twelve Penn Schools,” the email read.
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